‘In those days Israel had no king,; everyone did as he saw fit’ (Jug 21:25)

Characteristics of Ruth
•	Repetitious phrases
•	Ruth the Moabitess x 14: Coming to Bethlehem as a foreigner was a big-deal – stigma.
•	‘Loving kindness’ (HESED) glue to book – x 4 plus scenes of ‘hesed’ in action.
•	Structure (message = content + structure) 
•	Chiastic - an intentional structure to emphasize a climatic point
‘Why have I found favour in your eyes that you notice me, a foreigner’?
Ruth 2:10
Ch.1, scene 1, Hesed – kindness made clear by comparison.

The nature of HESED
•	· Force of Ruth’s disposition.
•	V. 14, ‘clung’
•	v.16 , ‘don’t urge me to leave you or turn back, where you go/stay I will go/stay...’ 
•	v.17, ‘nothing will separate you & me…’ 
•	Ruth shows hesed, also embodies ‘hesed’.
•	Fierce, forceful, passionate, loyal, determined, v.18.—
•	The nature of hesed!

Foundational—Ruth made God her refuge

•	V.12b, ‘..under whose wings you have come to take refuge…’ 
•	Gave her the freedom to show sacrificial kindness—hesed—to Naomi
•	V.11, Explains why she was able to leave, ‘father, mother, homeland’ & become a migrant missionary for sake of Naomi

2:3, God’s Providence (provision)
‘As it turned out she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz’

Expectation: God will bless in response to kindness...

•	·v.10,  ‘the Lord bless you… this kindness is greater than the one you showed before…’

‘Give and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For, with the measure you use it will be measured to you’. 
(Luke 6:38)

Kindness made clear by comparison - 2
•	· In chiastic arrangement a second comparison of characters (Boaz & near Kinsman at city gate, 4:1-8) mirrors earlier comparison of Ruth and Orpah (Ch.1)
•	Earlier focus Ch.1—women (Ruth & Orpah) > issue: willingness to sacrifice personal marriage prospects > Ruth did the unusual & extraordinary and demonstrated HESED.
•	Later focus—men (Boaz & Kinsman) > issue: willingness to sacrifice money, possession, inheritance > Boaz does the unusual & extraordinary and demonstrates hesed.
•	V.6, ‘At this (i.e. acquiring Ruth with estate) the kinsman redeemer said, ‘…I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate…I cannot do it’.
•	· Both demonstrate HESED, both designed for us to ask question —what would I have done?

Boaz becomes the Kinsman Redeemer
•	· 4:16-17, Obed is born > the grandfather of King David, ‘the father of Jesse, the father of David’
•	Matt Ch.1, follow Boaz’ birth-line 28 generations  
•	Matt. Ch.1:16, ‘...Jacob the father of Joseph, husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.’
•	 
‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…’  Jn 3:16

Lessons Learned
•	· If Ruth hadn’t shown kindness:
•	Lives wouldn’t have been changed in B/hem, and 
•	Christ wouldn’t come!

•	· Likewise - Our daily decisions to show ‘hesed’, in hands of God 
•	Affect community
•	Affect eternity